The little things
by 8annie81
Summary: The team moves to New York where they install themselves in the Central park high school. They try to reinvent it their own way and are met with suprizing resistance. Including the schools swim team instructer, the yearbook commite's head photogropher, a prom king wanna be, a strict old teacher, and many, many others.
1. Day one

Private sighed gazing out the window of the black sedan. He was small for his age and had a very high voice. In middle school it had taken him awhile to make any friends despite his friendly nature. His eye lids drooped sadly over his baby blue eyes and he sniffed. He could only hope this school in New York would be easier. Lost in his thoughts he didn't notice as his ride came to a stop. Skipper looked back at the sad boy.

"Buck up Private and look alive. You're about to walk into the trecherous unknown. Isen't that exciting?"

Private blinked. "Oh. Yes sir...It's just that um...what if I don't make any friends?"

"What do you mean? You got Rico, Kowalski and I lookin out for you."

"Oh right. What was I thinking? Well here I go." He said sadly as he slid the door open.

Skipper sighed. "Private I'm sure you'll make plenty of freinds. Anyone of those kids out there would be lucky to have you as a freind."

"Thanks Skippah!" Private said lunging forward to hug the man.

"Alright solider you get in there and make me proud! You hear me?"

Private saluted. "Yes sir!" He marched up the steps. He was still worried, but Skipper's confidnce in him put a spring in his step.

Skipper shook his head when Private marched up the steps it looked more like Skipping. Skipper was much older than Private who had just started his freshman year. They both had the same light blue eyes and black hair as did their other freinds Kowalski and Rico who were at the time pulling into the student parking lot.

Kowalski looked a bit shaken, but Rico looked disapointed that the ride had stopped. "Rico...tomarrow I drive."

"Awwwwww."

The shaken scientist stepped out. "And you have to pay for todays gas." He said flicking the meter.

Rico shrugged and pretended to out turn his pockets as if they were empty.

"Ah yes. Money is just one of the things that burns holes in your pockets. You did follow Skippers rule right? You didn't bring anything the school district considers a weapon?"

"Nope."

"Alright. Then we are free to go!" Kowalski stopped Rico as he began to walk away. "I meant free to go inside."

"Oh."

They walked inside together, but parted ways at the office.

"Huh?" Rico grunted as his teamate walked the other way.

"Oh. I sighned up for a tour. Uperclassmen get that if they don't start at the school." He said slighly smug.

"Whateva." Rico said. Kowalski was always bragging about having skipped a few grades, but Rico didn't really care.

Kowalski opened the office door and before he even set foot in the room he froze. The most beautiful girl he'd ever seen was leaning against the teachers boxes. She was dressed in tight figure fitting grey skinny jeans accented in blue. She wore a bule shirt with silver desighns on it. She had on a blue belt that matched her shirt, shoes, and eyes. She had light blond hair just past her shoulders that she flipped behind her as she scanned her clip board. Every inch of her was in perfect order. One could assume, and Kowalski did, that even her insides were symetrical.

The beauty looked up. "Hi I'm Doris you must be Kowalski the new Junior. Come on I'll give you your tour."

Kowalski blinked not having heard a single word she said. "Hi I'm Kowalski I'm a junior I'm new here."

Doris blinked her symetrical lashes. "Right...may I see your schedual?"

"Would you like to see my schedual?" He asked thrusting the paper forward.

"Thanks..." She said taking the paper between to fingers. "Geometry with Mr. Jones. Room 304. Okay that's easy it's right down that hall-."

Kowalski pointed to the hall she had gestured to. "That's the three hundreth hall!"

Doris did her best to ignore his deperation. "Next you have...ah life sciences with Ms. Beckum . That's a portable. The portables are a bit complicated let me show you her room."

"The portables are outside!"

Doris cringed internally as he followed her at her heels to the outdoor class rooms. She stopped before one of the rooms. "This is Ms. Beckums room . Now your third period-." She sighed in relief as the bell rang. "Sorry Kowalski. Looks like the tours ended." Doris always strived to do her best, but few things caused her more stress than what she was about to do. "Kowalski do you have a cell phone?"

"Yes!"

"Great." She said grabbing his wrist and wrighting her number in neat blue strokes. "Text me if you can't find a class and I'll talk you through it. Here's a tardy pass. Have a great day!"

A few minutes after she was gone Kowalski snapped back to reality and rushed to class.

A few doors down from his Rico sat groaning watching the clock. Ten minutes without an explosion. He missed summer already. Not to mention refused to accept his grunt as a here and had made him struggle through each letter as the other children laughed at him and on only day one she had them taking notes. He had long since switched to doodling in his notebook. He drew himself tieing a bomb to the crotchety old lady. He laughed a little. His spirits lifting.

A cracked wrinkly hand slapped down on his notebook. He looked up at the hands unpleasent owner. "Uh-oh."


	2. Rude interuption

Unfortunatly for Rico Skipper was already at the school. Skipper came into the office soaked. A towl around his neck. Before Rico could question him about his odd state Skipper cut him off. "Ms. Hicks is a crazy old bat, but you should know better than to ever threaten a superior."

"Didn't." Rico grunted. "Picture."

Ms. Hicks pulled her lips into a tight line."Daniel." She said coldly.

"Hicks." He replied in a slighly taunting voice.

"That's Ms. Hicks to you young man!" She exclaimed vehemently. "So this dreadfull boy is your son?"

"I am his gaurdian." Skipper said crossing his arms.

"Poor boy." She said with false concern.

"Yep he had the fowl luck to get you for a teacher."

Her jaw dropped offended.

Skipper smiled. "How old are you now, anyway?" He asked cheekily.

"Why you sorry little-."

Skipper shook his head, water drops flew every where.

Rico giggled as the uptight woman shreiked. She growled at him."Expelled! Expelled! Have this-this miscreant expelled and his hooligan of a father escorted off campus!"

"Yeah, yeah." A bored looking red-headed woman said sarcastically. "The kid gets a week of lunch detention and the coach gets I don't know a field ban or somthing. Yeah that's it. No using the field or the field dummies for a week."

"But what about the teams? Next week I pick the players for the football and soccor teams!" Skipper argued.

"Tough!" Ms. Hicks yelled. Then her eyes widened in realization. "Ms. Alice surly this monstrosity cannot be our new coach!"

"Fine keep the stupid field." Alice shrugged. "What do I care anyway. Yeah he's the coach. Who cares." And with that Alice walked off.

Ms. Hicks mouth remained open shocked. She only blinked as the bell rang.

Skipper took the towel off his neck and playfully pretended to whip Rico with it. "Get to class solider!"

Rico laughed and went on his way."Yehg sur!"

"I will not stand for this!" Ms. Hicks yelled.

"Then sit. Cause it just happened." Skipper taunted walking out leaving the elderly woman to grumble and gripe alone.

In the hallway a brown haired woman ran towards Skipper. "Listen I'm sorry I pulled you into the pool I-."

"It's fine dollface I shouldn't have doubted your swimming skills. You must have had me a quarter of the way across the pool before I knew what'd happened! You've got moxy. Now lets get back to the gym before the kids get too wild."

"No hard feelings?" She asked clamly.

"No mam. Just don't do it again." He said seriously.

She smiled. "So what did you get called to the office for?"

"Classified."

"Hey! I thought you said you weren't going to be sore!"

"I'm not."

"Are too!"

"Psh what do you know? You're a female." He ducked just in time to miss being punched. "Sorry girly gotta be quicker than that."

She growled and threw more punches finnally he caught her fist. He laughed. "Not a chance dollface."

She pulled her other arm back and punched him right in the nose.

After they got back to the gym Skipper spent the rest of the period holding a tissue to his nose and grumbling while the woman training girls by the pool snickered.

At the end of the day Skipper approched her. "Nice left hook Mrs. Ottah. I underestimated you. Twice."

"Well that was almost an appology. And it's miss although if you want you can just call me Marlene.

"Skipper." He said and she smiled warmly.

Rico rolled his eyes from the doorway. "Blech!"

Behind him Private giggled.

Skipper turned towards them. "Weren't you boys supposed to ride home with Kowalski?"

"Eee's gun."

"What? Gone where?" Skipper exclaimed.

"Oh no is he lost?" Marlene asked worriedly.

"No eee's gun insane. Coku." Rico said twirling his finger around.

"What do you mean 'he's gone insane'?" Skipper asked as he followed Rico and Private down the hallway to where Kowalski was leaned against a locker. Staring into space.

"You sure you don't want me to help?" Marlene called from the gym doorway.

"Skipper said it's quite alright miss. We can handle him." The british boy called back.

"Kowalski." Skipper said.

Kowalski sighed not noticeing.

"Kowalski!" Skipper snapped.

"Huh...yes sir!"

"Take the boys home already!"

"Oh yes...the keys are in my locker."

After a moment Skipper snapped again. "Kowalski! Get your keys!"

"Oh! Right! Um...I don't know my combination."

"What?"

"I'm sorry sir I-"

Skipper growled. "Come on we'll take my car, but I want that locker open tomarrow. You hear me?"

Kowalski was looking off into the distance. Lost in his thoughts. Rico smacked the back of his head before Skipper noticed. "Hmm? Yes!"

"Yes what?" Skipper demanded.

"Yes what?" Kowalski repeated. Then realization hit him. "Oh! Yes sir!"

"What's gotten into you today Kowalski? I've seen half moons more there than you!"

Kowalski nodded glumly and they walked to the car in scilence. Once inside the vehical Skipper adjusted his rear view mirror so he could glare at Kowalski. After a minute of painfull scilence Skipper relaxed and looked at Private.

"Make any friends sport?"

"Well I did make one."

"That's great and I bet soon you'll have dozens. So what's his name? He play any sports?"

"Actually it's a girl! She's miss Ottah's cousin and she's really funny! Her-."

"That's nice Private. So Kowalski what is it with you today? And Rico detention on day one? Granted Ms. Hicks is crazy."

Rico groaned. "She rabbling mir eihrs oug. Drew pihcturs an shey git craby."

"Fair enough. What's your excuse Kowalski?" Skipper said seeming to understand Rico's garbled words. Kowalski didn't respond quickly enough. "Kowalski!"

Kowalski blinked. "Nothing sir!"

"It's a girl!" Private giggled.

"Yes Private we know your only friend is a girl. I want to know Kowalskis problem."

"No Skippah I mean Kowalski likes a girl."

Without warning Skipper hit the brakes. The boys lurched forward. "I'm sorry Private I musthave misheard you. Did you just tell me Kowalski's gone off the deep end for a girl?"

"Yes sir. He's drawn her all over his clip board even over one of his inventions."

Skipper shook his head smirking slightly. "Like I said I want that locker open tomarrow."

"Yes sir."


	3. Gossip from tounge to ear

**Introduction of KeikoDa'Kitteh's OC Keiko. Thanks a ton for letting me use her...so enough wasting space...enjoy!**

Skipper and his team arrived at the school fifteen minutes early. Skipper and Kowalski went straight to Kowalski's locker.

"I'll be sure to procure any means of-."

"Eighty-six the smart talk. We have a lot of safety measures and recon to do. Now tell me. Can you at least open the locker?"

"Yes sir."

"Good. Store these files in there." He handed Kowalski a manilla envelope with **[Classified]** stamped on it in red. "I have meet up with Rico and Private to get their reports."

Skipper walked away and Kowalski turned towards his locker. Normally Kowalski could have a six digit number memorized, but he'd be very distracted lately...

Skipper would have reprimanded him for the act, but he'd given himself the leisure to write his locker combination on his wrist. He glanced donw at the number and nearly shrieked. He'd written his combination over Doris's number and now neither set of numbers was legible.

"Oh no." He murmered. Thinking not of the punishmet he'd get from Skipper, but of his inabillity to find Doris's house on google maps with her number. That was too much to bear. He dropped to his knees. "Nooooo!" He yelled clutching his wrist.

"What's wrong Kowalski?" Skipper yelled rushing to Kowalski's side.

Kowalski blushed. "I wrote over her number." He wispered.

"What? Speak up soilder." Skipper said seeming genuinly concerned. Skipper realized Kowalski hadn't opened the locker. "I know you're not locked out of this locker Kowalski."

Kowalski didn't have the nerve to tell Skipper what he was really upset about. So he didn't. "Yes sir. I knew you'd reprimand me, but I can't seem to remember my own combination."

"You had a girls number on your arm didn't you?" Skipper asked skeptically.

Kowalski blinked.

"Manfreddi used to get as many baristas as he could write their numbers on his arm, but he could never read any of them. We all saw it coming when he died of ink poisoning."

Kowalski said nothing still shocked Skipper had geussed his real problem.

"So which two girls wrote on you?"

Kowalski just blinked again.

"Three?" Kowalski still didn't respond. "Four? This is only your second day here Kowalski. Mess with too many girls and you could get into some real trouble."

Skipper patted him on the back and stood up. "Tell me when you're good and ready, but if that girl Doris has anything to do with this we're going to have a serious talk." He took the envelope from Kowalski and went to meet up with Rico. Kowalski just blinked.

Rico was in the gym testing the basketballs for bombs even though Kowalski had said the chances of finding any were in the lowest percentile. He cringed as he threw the last ball. He was beginning to think Skipper had given him this job to keep him out of the way.

Skipper walked into the gym. "Congrats Rico. You get to carry Kowalski's workload as well. At least until he's himself again."

Rico was bored out of his mind so he was glad to have something to do. A slightly sinister thought came to him. "I'rl chek Mzz Hecks rom." Rico began to walk out.

Skipper put his hand on his chest. "I just need you to put these in your locker." Skipper eye'd him wairily. "No funny business."

"Yesh sure."

Skipper took his hand off Rico's chest and nodded at him.

Rico was walking away when Skipper saw all the basketballs scattered around the room. "Actually Rico you need to clean up your mess. I can put this in my desk."

"Wha bout Privates lockker?"

"He doesen't have the clearance for this."

"Awwwwww." Rico said handing the portfolio to Skipper. Back to doing mind numbinly boring stuff.

Skipper patted his back and went to find Private and see how his work was going. He had to hurry since there would only be a few more minutes till people started showing up. Some of the teachers had come early. Two math teachers watched him jog by.

"What could the coach be doing here so early? It's not like he has anything to do." One with blond hair said skepticly.

"He is new. Maybe he's still setting up."

"Did you hear the swim coach knocked him into the pool the first day?"

"I did hear that...I wonder if..."

Skipper didn't hear the last of what she'd and he didn't think anything of it, but a girl standing near by did.

The girls name was Keiko. Marlene was her cousin and she was staying with her until either things got sorted out at home enough for her to live there or she went off to collage somewhere. She pushed up her shades and raised her eye brows. Because Marlene was a teacher and Keiko rode to school with her she was at school early all the time so she always knew what was going on with teachers. She smirked and strode away with this little peice of gossip on the tip of her tounge. Private would be the first to know.

Skipper finally found Private right before students flooded the hall. "Report."

Private looked around. "Now?" He asked suprized.

"Good point Private." Skipper said looking around suspiciously. "Anyone here could be an enemy agent. Give it to me after school."

"Yes sir."

Skipper waited raising an eyebrow. "Aren't you going to salute solider?"

"Err...it may look suspicious."

Skipper smiled and ruffled Private's hair. "Top marks Private. You're a real trooper today."

Private sighed that was a close call. Skipper had embarressed him a little, but no one seemed to have noticed. Now what was he going to put in his report?


	4. Worried

"Hey Private." Keiko said leaning on his shoulder. Keiko was shorter than him, but he slouched so she was able to do this. "Geuss what I heard about your dad?"

"Dad? Oh Skipper's not my dad!"

"Really? You guys look a lot alike. Any way I heard some teachers saying they think he and my cousin Marlene have a thing for eachother."

Private blushed. Skipper was not his dad, but you know...close enough. "Oh well that's...um swell. I hope they're happy together."

"We should set them up! And we can set Kowalski up with that girl Doris!"

"Oh you heard about that?"

"Kowalski's fallen in love with one of the most popular girls in school. The teachers and their dogs know."

Private giggled. What a silly expression he thought. Keiko thought for a moment and it was pretty silly. She snickerd and put her arm around Privates shoulder. "Come on lets get to class. The teacher'll sick their dogs on us if we're late."

The blue eyed boy did what many texters hardly ever really do. He laughed out loud. "Keiko." He said through his laughter. "You're too much!"

Keiko smirked. "And don't you forget it. Alright see you later peace." She said detangling from him and walking down the hall another way.

He watched her walk away for a moment. He had a funny feeling in his chest and he felt it sometimes when Keiko was around. He didn't really understand it though. Private turned around to walk away and rammed straight into someone.

That person gagged.

"Oh hey Rico." Private noticed the gag. "What's gross'd you out? I thought you had a strong stomache."

"Mushy." The scarred boy mumbled.

"What was?"

"You."

Private blushed. "What? Me? What did I do?"

"Dat girl."

"Keiko? Oh she's a friend of mine. Why do you think-." Private blushed harder. "Oh! Um, no she's just my friend I-I don't even know her that well."

Rico whistled and twirled his finger around his head. Crazy it seemed to mean.

Private avoided his eyes. "Well she does make me feel...strange." He gulped. "Does that mean anything?"

The lunatic just laughed. "I'n late fer class!" He hollered as he walked away.

"Wait Rico! What's it mean? Rico!" Private let out a worried sigh. Now he was worried. Worried! How could he do math this upset? He'd pay more attention tommarow for sure if he wasen't worried.

As Skipper he was a bit worried too. Not like Private was no he was worried because no one had showed up for football tryouts yesturday. It seemed like a conspiracy to him and he was going to get to the source no matter what. If it cost him life, limb, or leaving his students to run laps while he went to the office to demand an explination from Alice.

Alice scoffed. "I don't know. Maybe no one wanted to be on the team."

"Yeah that's not it. So you don't know any thing about this?"

"What do I look like a psychic? I don't now and I'm buzy right now." Skipper left and she went back to complaining to herself about having to do everything. This compsed most of her day.

Back in the gym Skipper addressed his students. "Do any of you know why everyone skipped out on football tryouts yesturday?"

"Weren't they canceled?" One boy asked.

Skippers eyebrows shot up. "Who told you that?" He demanded.

"Ms. Hicks or something." The boy responded. "Why?"

"Hicks." Skipper hissed. "Well they weren't tell anyone you know of that wants to join the team that we'll be having tryouts the rest of this week."

"Kay." The kid said non challant.

After class Skipper made his way to the dreaded womans classroom.

"Just in time to escort your miscreant of a son to the office." She harumphd.

Skipper growled not at Rico, but just in general. "What was it. This time?" He stressed.

Rico gulped. "Shre stargted eit."

"What?"

"Wouldng't cah me Rico." He mumbled.

"Your name is Richard. I will refer to you as such." The old woman said with an upturned nose.

Skipper scoffed. "Don't worry Rico. She won't last much longer."

Ms. Hicks took a moment to ponder what that could mean before summoning a weak comeback. "Childish. Simply childish."

"Old. Hicks. Old." He responded cheekily.

It went on like this until Rico worried. Yes worried. That Ms. Hicks would have a stroke yelling so loud while Skipper just smirked smuggly.

A million miles away Private snapped back to reality. He hadn't finnished his report. Now he had a punishment to worry about.


	5. Miscomunication

Sitting on the couch in the main room watching tv Private kicked his feet. He checked his text messages for the sixth time in ten minutes. He saw nothing new and sighed dejectedly.

"Waz rhong?" Rico asked rolling his eyes.

"I'm just waiting for my friend to text me back is all." Rico raised his eyebrows and Private gave in. "I texted Keiko three hours and four minutes ago if she wanted to hang out and she still hasen't responded! A simple no would be less painfull!"

Rico gagged and Skipper chuckled from the door way. "That's what you said? Wanna hang out?"

"Well yes...why?"

"You like her don't you?" Skipper said knowingly.

Private blushed. "I don't know...I think I might."

"Why not skip the geussing game? Ask her out."

"I'm a bit too shy for that. What if she says no or laughs at me like Doris did to Kowalski?"

"Then she's not worth spending time with. A good freind will stay that even if you ask to go further."

"Have lots of girls said no to you?"

Skipper frowned. "No." He crossed his arms and thought. "Well there was...no...she...no. Nope never been rejected, but Johnson taught me by example what to do if that ever happened. Chicks dig suicidal guys apparently. What if I called her and asked if she'd like to go on a date with you?"

"I don't know..."

"Here." Skipper said taking Privates cell phone. "It'll just take a second."

"No wait!"

"Oh hello Marlene."

"Skipper?" She asked puzzled.

Skipper cleared his throat. "This works better I supose. I was just calling to ask if a certain Ottah would accept a date from a certain Penwin?"

"Oh Skipper really? That's so sweet of course! When?"

"How about next saturday? I'll drive to your place and we can decide from there."

"Sounds great! I mean yeah sounds fine. Listen I gotta go..."

"Alright talk to you later." He hung up and turned to Private. "I just got you a date with Keiko."

Private looked up at him in awe. "Wow really? That was fast!"

Marlene had however recived an entirly different message. She looked at her cell phone that she'd previously been mad at for not charging and kissed it. Then she kissed Keikos phone.

"Can I check my messages now?" Keiko asked from the doorway.

"Keiko geuss who's got a date?" Marlene said happily.

Keiko thought a moment. "Me?"

"Nope! I do! Skipper just asked me out!"

"On my phone?"

"Yeah how weird is that?"

"Very." Keiko took her phone and checked her messages.

* * *

**Private Penwin:** Hey Keiko wanna hang out? _Sent three hours twenty-one min ago_

**Keiko Ottah:** Sure when? A/n sorry for the late reply. Marly had my phone. _Sent fifteen min ago_

**Private Penwin: **It's fine. I hardly noticed. We can hang out saturday. _Sent a fifteen min ago_

**Keiko Ottah:** :P _Sent eleven min ago_

**Private Penwin:** What? _Sent ten min ago_

**Keiko Ottah:** Nothing. Marlys happy about the date. _Sent eight min ago_

**Private Penwin:** Oh...are you? _Sent eight min ago_

**Keiko Ottah:** Yeah why? _Sent seven min ago_

**Private Penwin:** You're not worried? _Sent five min ago_

**Keiko Ottah:** Bout what? _Sent four min ago_

**Private Penwin:** Messing up the freindship. _Sent a min ago_

Keiko reread Privates text feeling something was off about it. She shrugged the feeling off and sent her response.

**Keiko Ottah:** I think it'll work out. _Sent a few seconds ago_

**Private Penwin:** Really? Sent a second ago

**Keiko Ottah:** Yeah I do. _Sent a second ago_

**Private Penwin:** *Heart* _Sent just now_

**Keiko Ottah:** *Smilely face*_ Sent just now_

* * *

Marlene smiled as she went through her closet finally settling on a tight brown dress and white boots. She could easily dress it up or down depending on where they decided to go.

In her room Keiko picked up her useual yellow Hollister hoodie and put it next to her gray skinnys to wear the next day. She didn't have anything special planned or so she thought.


End file.
